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All posts for the month May, 2012

I wrote a bucket list today. It includes writing goals (publishing one of my novels) as well as other neat non-writing things.

I never took the time to write a bucket list before – after all I know what cool things I want to do. And, if I’m being honest with myself, I was a little worried that if I put things on a bucket list, that was another way for me to fail. (What a downer.) But I’ve been working on me, (putting priority on what I want in life) and I realized that is really what a bucket list is all about – putting down a list of things that are important to you, and then holding yourself accountable for your own happiness and satisfaction. To this end, I decided to populate my list not just with things that I’m sure I can do, but to take risks and stretch myself. Now I’m sharing this list with the world, with the following hopes:

Go to Space (Ok this may depend on winning the lotto…but that could happen, I buy tickets.)

Jump a Four Foot Fence (horseback, the last time I tried without a horse I ended up in traction – parkour!)

Zip-Line to Work

You may wonder about the last item on this list…after all how realistic is it to take a zip-line to work? Well, you see in my current job I can actually see my office from my deck (I live on the 17th floor of one building with a great view of my 15th floor office in another) with little between us but air and a few low rise buildings… So what I’m saying is I have a viable down-slope possibility… I have even suggested the zip line option to my boss several times with no success yet, but I’m still working on it. When he agrees I will have the coolest commute ever. It will take some infrastructure work up-front, but I think the whole world will benefit. Why?

I’ll be happy and let’s face it, any time I’m happy there’s a ripple effect.

Imagine the benefits in the event of a zombie apocalypse. I could totally be the new transport choice of the survivors.

A brand new solution for growing urban density…all that space over the streets is just going unused.

Um…zipline to work…need I say more? Cool things are just good for the Universe.

But even if I never convince my current employer of the universal benefits of a zip-line to work, maybe when my novel hits the best seller list I can buy land with big trees, make an Ewok village, and live the dream that way. When I googled Ewok village to get the last link, I found this…an Ewok style village practically in my own back yard, now think how this would help urban density. This zip line thing is more of a possibility all the time.

Writing Exercise:

Do you ever people watch? I love to sit and watch the world around me, although I rarely take time for this pleasure. Each person has a story, and often just sitting quietly with a coffee in a public place I hear things that make my imagination take flight. Take your writing out to a public place where you will see people passing you. Get comfortable and then watch the people in your environment. Choose one person and tell their story. I am not asking you to talk to this person and tell their real story. I’m asking you to let your imagination be inspired by what you see. Aim to spend thirty minutes on this exercise. Happy writing.

I love new words, real ones and those that are made up accidentally through conversation. I once heard one of my favourite authors (C.C. Humphreys) tell a great story about inventing the word “moonspill”. Super cool, I was very inspired. So I am on the look-out for great new made-up words to use in my writing, and in life. This week a friend introduced me to a new one I thought I would share. “Preponed”. You don’t recognize it you say? Neither did I, its a great new made-up word; the opposite of postponed…a synonym would be “moved up”, but doesn’t preponed sound better? Let me use it in a sentence so you can get the feel for this great new (made-up) word. “Hey Jim, are you still meeting with your accountant tomorrow?” “Nope, that meeting was preponed, I saw my accountant today instead.”

Why be held back by reality? Your welcome. 🙂

Writing Exercise:

Open yourself up to a new idea. Each writer has dozens of stories drifting in their heads waiting to be released. Sit in a comfortable place to write, with a pen and paper or keyboard at the ready. Close your eyes and relax your body, breathing deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth try to relax everywhere. When you open your eyes write the first thing that comes to mind, whether it is a word, or phrase, and without judgment of that use what you have written to begin a story. Write for ten minutes and then stop briefly to ask yourself where the story is going? (You will probably have an idea at this point.) Give yourself no more than thirty seconds to ponder that question, then turn the answer on it head, and take the story in the completely opposite direction. If you were writing a love story, make it about hate. If you were moving toward a destination, change it, or make the character now desperately need to avoid that destination. Think opposite. Write for another ten minutes in your new direction. Happy writing.

I’m un-hygienic…wait that sounds bad, I mean in my sleep. That didn’t make it sound any better did it?

I did a sleep study this week because I feel tired constantly. What I found out is that: I go to sleep easily (but not too easily to be abnormal, what do they know?); I sleep a good length of time most nights; and, I sleep right through without waking up. So why am I tried? My husband would say it has something to do with overworking myself in the day, and then insisting on reading rather than going to sleep. I’ve fought the idea for years, but the results of the sleep study seem to indicate my husband is right. (I hate it when that happens. Since I married a genius I get to hate experiencing his rightness rather frequently.)

Apparently one potential cause of my tiredness is a confused circadian rhythm. This is not the tempo of bug wings flapping (I checked), it is the cycle of your internal clock telling your body when it’s time to sleep. The sleep study suggested that if I improve my sleep hygiene (going to bed and getting up at consistent times, not reading in bed etc.) my body’s rhythms will regulate and my body will know when I am “supposed” to be tired. Apparently this will lead to a more refreshed state the rest of the time.

There could be other cauases…They were not able to completely rule out sleep apnea (I snore, boy do I snore, loud and proud), or better yet some other condition that would make it medically necessary for me to take naps at my desk (I was really pushing for that one). But, before I insist on a diagnostic test that could prove my need to nap at work I guess I’ll try being more hygienic.

I think I’ll hide the results from my husband. Being right too often isn’t good for you. – And I love him so I only want what is good for him. It’s settled, I won’t speak to him of this…unless he reads this post.

NB – The study also suggested that I get another hour of sleep a night as en experiment…apparently some people just naturally need nine hours. I like the idea but when would I fit that in?

Writing Exercise:

Do you ever write with an outline? I used to think that an outline would stifle my creativity, until I tried it. What I discovered is that using an outline doesn’t prevent my creative flow, it just directs it, like a valley directs a river. You know the valley is leading the river in a certain direction, but the river still has the freedom to meander. For this exercise, choose your favorite character, it can be anyone you are interested in. (I’m choosing the antagonist of the novel I’m working on right now to help flesh out his back-story.) Now give them a goal. Try not to be intimidated by this, the goal doesn’t have to be world peace, it could be getting to work, or visiting their mother. Now choose a barrier that your writing will have to flow around. Again, we are not looking to intimidate ourselves, consider a flat tire, or other mundane situation that could prevent forward movement.

You have just written a short outline. Your next step is to give a bit of urgency to the goal or consequence with the story you tell; make the reader care. Why are they wanting to reach the destination? Why don’t they give up when the tire goes flat? Will they achieve their goal, or will the end be a “tragic” failure of that goal. Will they interact with others or will the story be in the head of your character as they deal with their roadblock? Try not to plan this part, just start writing; this is the part where your creative mind will take over. Just remember, no reading, judging or editing while you write. Writing time is for writing, stretch those creative muscles. Aim to spend forty minutes meandering to your end point.

NB. Remember an outline is a guide and your creative process is the river. If needed your creative side can create a flash flood to move out of the river valley, but for this exercise try going with the flow. Happy writing.

Maybe that needs more explanation… Yesterday I was at the dentist getting a new crown. While my dentist is very gentle and concerned that I have a good experience, past bad dentists have instilled in me a great fear that causes tension and distress (no matter how good my current dentist is).

What does that have to do with bees? – I’m getting there.

To help deal with my tension the dentist suggested some happy gas (nitrous). I was still tense but the gas helped take the edge off the experience. While setting up, he informed me that I should breathe through my nose (to take in the gas) and that if it got to be too much for me, I could breath through my mouth and the gas would leave my system. Who know? – He did I guess.

The gas went on, and it was working. I was semi-relaxed and dedicated to staying that way when the dentist started asking me questions…Now here come the bees. I wanted to answer him, but I didn’t want to breath out of my mouth and kill my buzz, so I found myself wishing I could hum like a bee, or dance my communications – Anything that would not require breathing out through my mouth and losing the light buzz provided by the gas.

Strange? Even more so when you think that I’m allergic to bee stings. I don’t think I’d make a very good bee. I’d be so neurotic “hey dude, watch the stinger, allergy here”.

Writing Exercise:

Imagine that you woke up with the ability to communicate like a bee. Suddenly each emotion, thought or story appeared to you not only in words but it dance and buzzing harmonies. While this could open up amazing opportunities in the fields of dance and theater, how might this new skill effect your ability to communicate in other ways? Would your new dance and buzzing skills bleed over into other parts of your life? Would you share your ability? Would you have a choice? Spend twenty minutes playing with your new skills and the changes they would bring to your life. Happy writing.

This weekend I (with thirteen of my friends and family) attended a Sound of Music Sing-A-Long. Before I tell you more, you should know that the Sound of Music is in a tie for my favourite movie of all time. The tie is with Ever After (a movie with music so beautiful it haunts me). So you are fairly warned that I may gush in enthusiasm…but it is justified, after all the Sound of Music is a classic and anyone who disagrees is sadly wrong.
But what’s a Sound of Music Sing-A-Long you ask? Well in this amazing cultural experience fans of all ages join together to watch the movie, singing the songs (to lyrics that appear on the screen), shouting advice at the screen, booing the Nazis, cheering for Maria and barking at Rolfe (I’m not really sure why).
Some participants come in costume (I saw several brown paper packages tied up in strings.), but all come to enjoy the movie and raise their voices with Maria, the Von Trapps and a very melodic group of nuns. What could get better than a love story combined with group Karaoke? (I love that my spell checker knows how to spell Karaoke…someone has to.)
Besides being an opportunity to enjoy the best love story ever, the sing-a-long was a welcome excuse to belt out a song, at the top of my lungs, without getting strange looks (for a change) from the other people in the elevator or parking garage. (Did you ever notice what great acoustics there are in parking garages?)

NB – The next sing-a-long I want to attend is Grease …now where did I put my leather pants?

Writing Exercise:

Have you ever rented a movie to discover the director has included an alternate ending in the extra features? (The Butterfly Effect is a great example of this.) I love watching these alternate realities. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don’t, but I love the imaginative freedom they provide. To me they are a recognition that not everyone would have told the story in the same way. They are permission to let my mind play in that world.
Choose your favourite movie and think about the ending. Was it satisfying? Why do you think that ending was chosen over another? Spend a few minutes thinking and then break free from the script as written and explore what else could have happened instead.
For example, what if Rolfe had gone with the Von Trapps rather than running to report them? What if King Kong had held onto Fay Wray? What if the military presence on Avatar had realized that orbital bombardment would take care of their little wildlife problem? Aim to write for twenty minutes playing with the end of your favourite film. Happy Writing.

I’ve started a new project, a collaboration with a writing friend I barely know. It was and is a risk to write with someone else. Especially someone I’m not that familiar with. We may not get along…we may not have the same vision for the work, etc., etc. However, I’m excited by what writing with a partner offers me. A writing partner gives me a built-in person to knock around ideas with, and a built-in accountability measure. If I tell him I will have a chapter by Monday for example, there will be consequences to not fulfilling that promise. It’s much easier to put off work and let my procrastination take over when I’m writing alone.

Besides, no matter how much I tell myself that in writing alone I have all the power and can make all the decisions I’m lying to myself. I’m an organic writer which usually means I have an outline of where I want the story to go, but as I write the characters change, the story changes and I’m constantly surprised by what happens. (I love that, I hate that, I love that.)

I’m happy to report that so far writing with a partner is a great experience. We like each other’s style. We have compatible ideas for the book, and I’m working with a speed and direction on this project that I don’t think I could have achieved alone. Yay! Wish me luck as we move forward.

NB. Today, I’m adding this note as a reminder to me, because I need it and I hope it speaks to someone else.

I love writing, and I always have fun once I start. Stop letting the fear prevent you, procrastination only delays gratification.

Thanks me, I’ll try to take your advice.

Writing Exercise:

I find naming my characters quite intimidating. It feels like such a responsibility to give a character a name. At first I let that intimidation stop me from writing, until I realized that a name is just a name. Search and replace is a great tool for changing them later, and a name doesn’t have to define a character. Our plot and story will do that, and the name will fit in the end whether it is Julia or Moonbeam. But to get over name intimidation consider the following exercise.

Choose a name (baby books are a great place to start). It can be any name, in fact it is better if the name means nothing to you. Now take five minutes to think about the name and let the image of a character come to you. Set a timer (it is important not to plan too long). Now re-set the time for ten minutes and write a story from that character’s childhood. It can be anything, but should use the person’s name in either internal or external dialogue, just so you firmly associate the name with the character. Once you are done write down a list of five characteristics that you think belong to your character now that you know them better. Now set the timer for another five minutes and think of a character with exactly the opposite characteristics. Then re-set for ten minutes and write a story about that character’s childhood, using the same name.

Which character do you like better? Did it have anything to do with the name? Flip through the baby book at random and select another name. Do a search and replace for the name in both of the stories and re-read them. I hope you will find the characters speak to you just as strongly no matter which name you are using. Happy writing.